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Related Experiment Videos

Functional explanation and the function of explanation.

Tania Lombrozo1, Susan Carey

  • 1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. lombrozo@wjh.harvard.edu

Cognition
|June 9, 2005
PubMed
Summary
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Teleological explanations are accepted when a function plays a causal and predictable role. This research reveals how people evaluate explanations, impacting prediction and intervention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Philosophy of Science

Background:

  • Teleological explanations (TEs) attribute existence or properties to a function.
  • TEs are sometimes unwarranted, such as explaining rain by plant growth.
  • Previous work by Wright (1976) provides a philosophical foundation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the theoretical commitments underlying teleological explanations.
  • To determine the conditions under which people accept TEs.
  • To propose an 'Explanation for Export' model based on psychological functions of explanation.

Main Methods:

  • Five experiments were conducted, starting with Wright's (1976) analysis.
  • Experiment 1 tested if TEs are interpreted causally.
  • Experiments 2-5 examined the role of causal structure and predictability in TE acceptance.

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Main Results:

  • TEs are accepted only when the invoked function played a causal role.
  • A causal role alone is insufficient for TE acceptance.
  • Acceptance requires the causal process to be general and predictable.

Conclusions:

  • People require both causality and predictability for accepting teleological explanations.
  • The 'Explanation for Export' model suggests explanations serve future prediction and intervention.
  • Findings connect psychological and philosophical accounts of explanation.